The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr. Brendan Howlin T.D., established a public consultation on commissioning human, social and community services.

Community Work Ireland (CWI) has been working on the area of commissioning, public procurement and competitive tendering, particularly as it affects work to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, for a number of years. That work culminated in the recently published, In Whose Interests? Exploring the impact of public procurement and competitive tendering on social inclusion and community work (attached here). The CWI submission is based on the learning from this process. he submission makes the argument that there should be a derogation for social inclusion and community work on the basis that this work is not a service that can be delivered.

To download a copy of the Community Work Ireland submission please click here

Copies of the consultation paper, details of the consultation process, background information and further supporting documents are available on the Department’s website at www.per.gov.ie/commissioning